


Fluff and Sweet Stuff

by 00Geeky00_00Goggles00



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: Canon-Typical Behavior, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Hurt/Comfort, I just made a character to be a universal punching bag, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Poor Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel), Soft Alastor (Hazbin Hotel), Somebody help the dumbass deer boi, The Author Regrets Everything, The Author Regrets Nothing, These idiots..., Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:47:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22181290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/00Geeky00_00Goggles00/pseuds/00Geeky00_00Goggles00
Summary: Angel is determined, Alastor is confused, and both of them are trying their best.Satan help these two.
Relationships: Alastor/Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel), Charlie Magne/Vaggie
Comments: 18
Kudos: 158





	1. First Impressions

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little intro to start us off. They will almost never be this short, don't worry. :-p

A person only gets one attempt at a first impression. Angel's first impression of Alastor was the general untouchable air of confidence and devilish charm that made his fur stand on end. On second thought, that might've come from the static that constantly cracked around the radio host. Either way, the man was handsome, distant, and according to Vaggie dangerous. Tension and suspense radiated from the man and his pointed smile, just begging to be released.

Exactly Angel's type. An untouchable challenge that he most certainly wanted to touch. If only he could get the redhead to touch him.

Alastor's first impression of Angel was that of someone who partook in the pleasures of the flesh. He could respect that, though it definitely wasn't his preferred way of enjoying flesh. Seconds later, that view changed to a tenacious, brazen man who was ignorant enough, stupid enough, or cocky enough (perhaps all three) to offer… services… to one of the most feared overlords in hell. The man had to be an idiot.

Still, while the spider's proposition was jarring and distasteful, it was refreshing to have someone challenge him without malice after so many years. The unflinching honesty was rather intriguing as well, as it was the pornstar's real thoughts with a few details snatched from his audience at the last second.

Alastor may be able to handle suspense, but that doesn't mean he'd refuse a chance to find out more. Consider his curiosity… piqued.


	2. One Way or Another

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> These two are emotional disasters. Hints of inexperience and dumbassery abound. I know it's another short one, but shhhhhh I just had to start things off. Gimme another chapter, 'kay? TvT

This was not working as well as he had hoped. Angel Dust, one of the most irresistible demons in hell by trade, had managed to take an interest in one of the only demons that seemed entirely uninterested in him. It had been several weeks now, and he had seemingly made absolutely no progress in getting the Radio Demon to be remotely interested in him. The man appeared to be immune to every trick in Angel’s book, and he was starting to get frustrated.

It became clear very quickly that sudden touching was off limits entirely unless initiated by Alastor. Angel learned that the hard way when he only managed to drape an arm across the demon once before being reflexively shoved off. The skinny deer was stronger than he looked, sending Angel stumbling back to fall on his rear. His unsaid greeting turned into a surprised yelp and a pained hiss as his back hit the edge of a nearby chair. The spider winced as he rubbed at his now sore back. That was going to leave a bruise, and it wouldn’t be the fun kind.

Angel looked up at Alastor, moderately pissed at being rebuked so forcefully.

“What the fuck, Al!? You could just s-...” he cut himself off when he saw the expression on Alastor’s face.

The radio host’s smile was still firmly in place, but his eyes were wide with shock at himself, his ears downturned a fraction, hand still extended and frozen. A tense, high-pitched ringing emanated from the shorter demon. It was only a moment before the deer demon blinked and schooled his expression back into one of generally intimidating amusement, but it wasn’t fast enough for Angel not to have seen it. Alastor’s hand flexed once, curling into a loose and unsure fist. Not even a second later the smiling man’s arms snapped behind his back as he stood up even straighter than he normally did. His radio filtered voice reached the pornstar’s ears, with the ringing still present, if a bit quieter.

“Ah ha ha! Apologies my dear fellow, but you seemed to need a reminder of the five-foot rule! Do allow me to help you up as the bruises shall be reminder enough, I should think!” He stiffly offered a hand, keeping the other one firmly behind his back. Angel raised an eyebrow, but took the offer anyway. 

“Uhhh.. okay? Thanks Al...” He said in an unsure tone while he dusted himself off. He rubbed at the ache now settling in to his upper and lower back. Damnit.

Alastor spoke quickly as he ran a hand down his lapel to smooth out an imaginary crease, then rearranged the chair and table into their proper place. “Well I best be off! Plenty of business to attend to! Running a business is no walk in the park even when you are as fantastic as myself! Hahaha! Toodle-oo!” If anyone asked, Angel wouldn’t tell them that Alastor damn near ran out of the room. But no one was asking now, so the man had damn near run out of the room. That was on par with anyone else running away screaming. 

Shit.

What got the guy so antsy? And why did he look so, for lack of a better word, guilty when Angel had fallen? Didn’t he enjoy making people suffer or something? It seemed like it was an accident though…

In any case, the fuzzy spider knew that touch was a big no-no for the deer. That made things more difficult, but Angel was nothing if not single-mindedly stubborn. Watch out Al, he was going to woo the deer one way or another!

……

Oh for the love of the nine circles why did he do that?

Alastor, after hoofing it out of the cafe, sat on his bed in his hotel room. He had only just managed to get himself past his door before red-clad shoulders slumped and he plunked himself down. His ears were back and flattened and his smile was strained. His head was propped up with an elbow on his knee and a clawed hand over both eyes.

It was true that the deer demon was not fond of sudden gestures, but was that truly necessary? Throwing a man to the ground for something so simple? Oh sure, he enjoyed causing suffering, but he'd rather do it on purpose in a far grander manner than that. There wasn't any blood, viscera, or complex joy to be had in that interaction. There was only a somewhat discomforting feeling of embarrassment.

He did not enjoy this feeling.

This one little spider had managed to set off a more severe reaction than he'd had with an actual weapon pointed at him (golly, Vaggie was such a character). In fact, the taller demon had appeared to want to do the opposite of harm him. He had attempted a greeting! The situation was so backwards and strange that Alastor couldn't help but let out a humorless chuckle. He uncovered his eyes and heaved a static-laden sigh. 

Most souls avoided interactions with the Radio Demon. Oftentimes, it was a blessing. Alastor, despite being a showman, was not particularly fond of the masses sometimes. He appreciated having an audience, he did not appreciate their arrogant, ignorant, ungrateful candor. Landing in Hell had been convenient in so much as he could freely murder and eat problem listeners. It was quite nice most of the time. Dinner and a show! Even if the show was his own, what could be better?

Well, nothing. But just as one should not have one's favorite food for every meal, one should not do only their favorite thing for years on end. He wasn't lying when he said he was craving new entertainment. 

Every interaction, for years, was one of three things. One, he was talking to a future victim. Two, he was talking to a current victim. Three, he was being lied to. Even the princess of hell and her "bodyguard" fell into this trap. Angel had not yet done any of those things. That was very rare for the deer demon to find nowadays. He'd nearly chased such an opportunity away today. 

Alastor took a deep breath, now focused on a secondary goal. That settles it. The others were fun to toy with, but this was quite the anomaly. 

One way or another, he was going to figure out the abnormality that was Angel Dust.


	3. Insult as Injury

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angel is very witty... and violent. Alastor respects that. He also wishes people weren't so rude, but that's neither here nor there.

Angel had apparently gotten them into some kind of routine. It usually ended up going something like this...

_"Angel! Could you check if there's a package in the mailbox?"_

_"I dunno, is it yours? I think that's a package I could take."_

_"Why in the world would you want my mail? Although my new set of claw files would make you look rather… sharp! Ha ha ha!"_

_"Eh. If that's how you nights are, life's gotta be kinda dull… wait-!" Angel slapped a set of hands over his mouth. Alastor put an arm around the spider's shoulders, chuckling at the accidental pun and the following embarrassment._

_"Well Angel, I should be blunt with you. You often come off as quite dull yourself, but it seems you have a sharper tongue than I thought! Ha ha ha!"_

_Angel groaned in irritation, putting his face in a set of hands._

Or like this…

_Angel sat at the bar, sipping his one allotted cocktail for the day. As usual he chose something very fruity and pink, this one appropriately named pink police. He promptly added several packets of sugar that he'd hidden in his fluff. He took a sip and sighed happily, while Husk looked both impressed and disgusted._

_The gambler looked even more dismayed when Alastor sat down and ordered an absinthe frappe, hold the anisette. Angel had tasted absinthe once. At the time he was fairly sure his insides had turned into jet fuel for a second. The sugar lover's face twisted at the sight of the drink._

_"How the hell are you drinking that?"_

_Alastor finished his sip and responded smoothly with "I think you mean how in hell, dear Angel". He accompanied it with a wink and a smile._

_If Angel was asked later, he'd say the blush came from the cocktail._

_"Yeah well, don't step outside after drinking that. Fire and lighter fluid don't mix, unless you wanna be venison."_

_"Angel, you're quite a card! I don't become venison, I eat it."_

_"I'd eat your venison anytime, babe." Angel purred. Alastor didn't seem to notice the comment, nor did he notice the way the fluffy spider visibly sulked as he continued past it. The feline bartender raised one eyebrow, but said nothing._

_"Though I must ask, how can you drink that pink monstrosity? It's disgusting!"_

_"Mi scusi?! This shit is delicious! If this is the most disgusting thing I have to drink this week, I must've been a veeeery good boy." He took a sip and rolled his eyes._

_"Dearie my! Even I can't publicly broadcast that imagery." The radio host gave a theatrical shudder. Angel smirked._

_"Too entertaining for ya?"_

_"That's one descriptor for it."_

Or even like this…

_"You taking me up on my offer yet, Smiles?"_

_"I'd be surprised if you found a way to fulfill that particular… erm… process without breaking the five foot rule you utter demon!"_

_"Don't make me get creative."_

_"Don't make me gore you."_

_"Please gore me, cervo." Angel challenged with a low voice and a raised eyebrow._

_Alastor had not seen that coming at all. The spider demon watched as the deer froze, face and neck darkening in what looked almost like a blush. He blinked once, twice, then hastily said something about the time and meetings. With a snap of his fingers he was gone, leaving Angel to smack his own forehead and berate himself for botching that particular conversation._

Angel was running out of phrases and tactics. He had more than enough for clients, but nothing seemed to work on Alastor. Nothing! Well… nothing that didn't upset the guy. At this point, did he really want that kind of thing to work? Did he want it to be that easy, and for Al to be another John he fucked and then left? Angel was just starting to wonder if he should call it quits and leave the man alone...

………...

Then one day, something changed. It wasn’t like a bolt of lightning, more like a realization; an understanding, if you will.

The whole thing had started with their usual song and dance at this point. Alastor sat at the hotel bar, quietly sipping a drink that had Husk muttering something about “moonshine” and “gasoline” and “for the love of fuck how are you not spittin’ that out”. Just before Alastor could retort, Angel entered and sauntered over to the counter. He sat his usual one seat away from Al, leaning on the counter in a way that showed his chest quite generously to both other men present.

“Awww Husky,” the spider purred. “You know that spitting is quitting, right? O’ course swallowing that kinda thing isn’t for everyone…”

By that point Husk had turned away grumbling about “motherfucking neon pink shit”.

“... I ain’t a quitter, especially when I wanna do somethin’ special. How about it, Smiles? I wouldn’t quit on ya.” He ended that statement with a smirk and a wink.

Alastor started a bit when Angel addressed him, pausing his next sip of the acrid concoction in his glass. The spider worried at his lip in a way that, to all observers, was meant to be teasing. He was actually somewhat anxious and knew he should probably shut up before Al left again. He didn’t have a drink and his mouth needed something to do. Thus, biting and possibly splitting his lip it was. Hopefully this time Al knew what he was getting at and had a bit of help from the alcohol to finally let himself be enticed by it. He’s denying himself something, that was for sure. The fluffy porn star was giving this his best shot, really he was. He’d suggested things so many times in so many ways that he was running out of passes to make. Not a single other john that wasn’t erased had been immune to his best material. Angel was getting frustrated. If the demon he’d just propositioned would only…

“Hey! Wait let’s just-...!” They heard Charlie shriek as the door to her office banged open. It had to have dented the wall considering how loud it was. Angel sighed in irritated defeat at the interruption of this attempt, as Alastor’s smile became even more shark like in preparation for the booming voice that was coming closer. Even Husk glanced up with a bit more annoyance and a lot more raised fur than usual.

Oh for the love of tits, not this guy again.

Just Angel’s luck that it was their most recent patron, freshly dredged up from the eighth circle and obviously pissed. The guy was a slimeball through and through, his hair greased back and his smile literally bleached white and filed down flat. The demon was trying to look human, suave, and dangerous. Considering he had the build of a ferret, it did not work at all. The guy was a liar and ran to the hotel after breaking one deal too many. He was a cheap bastard too, from trying to buy art from active patrons for “exposure” to waving a huge wad of ones in Angel’s face in exchange for services. It was a good thing he hadn’t taken him up on the offer (as if he would for that petty cash) since that was that day Angel found out that Charlie wasn’t just a mother hen, she was a counterfeit-spotting mother hen.

The ferret had even tried making himself out to be a war hero to sway Husk into giving him a free shot. When asked which war he was in, the ferret had claimed it was Vietnam. It became very clear very quickly that the new patron didn’t know jack shit about Vietnam. The cat’s face went blank before throwing the bottle of cheap booze at the other demon hard enough to shatter it, mumbling to Vaggie that he needed a break when she came in to see what the fighting was about. Angel came downstairs later to see Vaggie setting a small rum cake on the bar. From the face Charlie was making when he stepped into the kitchen, it was likely uncomfortably heavy on the rum. She’d clearly helped to make it though. Husk needed something nice after that one.

Yeah, this guy was a grade A, free range, douche. And, after putting another dent in the wall that made one of Al’s eyes twitch, he headed straight for the bar. The furred conman blustered his way to Alastor, standing directly in front of his stool and cleared his throat. The deer demon raised a single eyebrow.

“May I… help y-”

“I want to make a deal.”

Alastor's eye twitched and his posture stiffened further. The man looked like a violin string wound far too tightly, and whoever snapped it would be the one nursing that welt for a while. Still, not one to back down, Alastor forged ahead.

"Well, I am quite happy to oblige! What is it you ask of me, sir?"

"Well pal, frankly I'm sick of this joint. I got plenty of contracts to hand ya, and I've got plenty of cash stashed away. All I want is a little favor from a fellow man of business."

Angel watched the deer's ears jolt once. One hand gripped the counter hard enough to leave shallow claw marks under the guise of casually leaning on the nearest surface. That sniveling bitch was not someone you wanted to be compared to. Honestly, the radio host had every right to be insulted, pissed, or both. Probably both. Angel would be pretty damn ticked too. Fuck, he was getting there anyway as long as this guy stayed in the room. Heterochromic eyes landed on Alastor as he piped up again.

"Hmmm… that might be suitable payment, depending on what you ask of me. What is it you wish?"

"I wanna be in heaven already. Do whatever it takes to make that happen, plain and simple."

After a beat of silence, everyone who heard the request broke out into hysterical laughter. Even the princess, despite her own optimistic and slightly naive nature, had to stifle her giggles.

Charlie starts, "Uhm… I don't think that's…"

Husk chuckled and wiped the bar off from a booze filled spit take.

Angel and a couple other passing patrons were openly cackling.

Alastor gave a hearty "Ha ha ha!" as one of his laugh tracks played in the background.

The conman whipped around at smirking and smiling faces, growing more angry and confused by the second.

"What?! What's so funny?!" He bellowed, gnashing bright but uselessly blunt teeth. A couple more patrons sitting in the sparsely populated hall glanced up at the noise. He rounded on Charlie when she tapped his shoulder. "What is it, princess?!"

The blonde cleared her throat and began to gently explain.

"Sir, I don't think you understand. Even my dad doesn't have the power to just… send people to heaven. Why would I open the hotel if he could? So… c'mon!" She exclaimed hopefully, gesturing to her office. "Let's work some more on that redemption plan!"

After throwing up a middle finger, the ferret ignored her in favor of further pestering Alastor. Charlie gasped and looked hurt. Angel set a hand on her shoulder. This douche might as well have kicked a puppy. The urge to kill this "man" was rising steadily.

The guy cleared his throat and put on his best plastic smile, speaking in an overly pandering tone.

"Ahem. Well, perhaps a direct pass to the pearly gates is out. In that case, can you cure me? Redemption isn't easy, as I'm sure you know. I don't have time for it. The offer of all my generous assets still stands." He ended his proposal with an unsettling smile. Not nearly as unsettling as Alastor's smug face just became, however.

"Ha ha ha! Oh you foolish ferret, that is an offer I shall absolutely refuse. I have all the resources I need already, and the joy in gaining them is the bloody struggle the precedes it! Besides, watching others attempt to do the same and fail is quite fun! It makes me ever so thankful for what I have, and gives me prime radio content. No no no. Our chance was the life we had befo-..."

"Now see here you useless prey animal!"

Alastor froze mid-sentence. Nobody moved while the ferret dug himself a deeper grave by continuing.

"If you ain't got that power then quit throwing your big mouth and puny antlers into my time, capisce?"

The deer's ears had swiveled halfway back during that tirade. His eyes were wide and slowly turning to dials. The air around Alastor became fuzzy and symbols appeared around slowly extending antlers. Aggressive static slowly became louder until Charlie spoke up.

"Al, please don't kill him in here. We're doing so well… a-and uh… slow burn story lines are worth it, o-or… something?"

The cervine blinked twice, and his appearance snapped back to normal. The static noise became higher and quieter, though it didn't dissipate entirely.

"But of course! Thank you for reminding me, madam!"

The princess gave a thumbs up paired with a relieved smile. Then the star of the hour butted in.

"Eh-heheheheheheheheh! Ehhh, excuse me. I'm sorry." He wiped away an imaginary tear. "You gotta admit though, it's kind of funny watching the Radio Demon be so whipped by puppy princess over there!"

The ferret continued laughing, and the aforementioned radio demon tensed further if that was physically possible. Angel looked at the ears pinned back against red locks and saw a forced smile become even more forced. One eye twitched and his fur stood on end. This bitch? This bitch's ass was grass no matter who in the room snapped first, it might as well be him. Time to intervene.

“Alright that's it." The spider stated plainly. He strode over to the self-proclaimed businessman and picked him up by the shirt collar. The comparatively tiny demon could do nothing but let out a choked noise of shock when the middle pair of Angel's hands closed around his neck. The third pair sprouted to hold the little weasel's arms to his sides, stretching the demon out straight. His first set were left free to gesture, jabbing one finger into the offender's chest.

"Listen here you fuckin' prick. I got a lot of patience for people who pay me, you don't pay me. I give a fuckton of chances to friends, you ain't a friend. Hell, I even tolerate most of the bozos runnin’ around here since they haven’t done me wrong yet. So you know what? I’ll say what I really think about your bullshit self. Your mouth looks and smells like bleached brimstone crawled into your gums. If I wanted to choke myself to death I don’t have to blow one of my biggest co-stars. Fuck, I wouldn’t even have to step outside. I just gotta step closer to you and your shitty ass cologne. You ain't a human, quit tryna be one. You're a popsie stick covered in fur, get fuckin’ used to it. You have crossed enough lines you might as well script your obituary along with your goddamn sales pitches. Al's here 'cause he chose to be, and he's doin' a damn good job of running things, and an even better job at being scary as shit while doing it. You came here with a briefcase and your tail tucked between your legs. You've done less than nothing since you got here, you did less than nothing before you got here, and right now I don't know who's gonna do it first, but either me or Al are ready to smear your sorry ass across all nine goddamn circles. Then maybe, just maybe, you could start, at least, doing nothing instead of being the shaggiest leech I ever seen. Here, lemme start you off."

Onlookers who were stunned into silence during the tirade watched in varying amounts of shock and awe as Angel carried the squirming weasel to the front door. The spider's top two hands threw them open and long legs strode out into the street. Charlie, Alastor, and a few patrons gathered by the entryway just in time to see Angel dangle the conman over the communal trashcan by his ankles. He had just started to shout and curse when the porn star swung him three times around his head before football-spiking him into the can. How convenient no one had taken it out yet. Those watching continued to stare while Angel whistled and dragged the trash to the curb, where a somehow-not-hijacked-yet garbage truck was waiting. He watched the can be lifted into the air, the newly deposited trash along with the week’s worth of garbage bags inside tumbling into the truck, and the can thudding back down before the truck drove off. The tall spider dusted off his hands, rearranged himself, and stepped gracefully back to the Hotel's doorstep. When he was impeded by frozen witnesses, he raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

That one word set several other demons into motion. They scooped up Angel who let out an alarmed "Woah hey! What the fuck?!". He calmed down when the small mob began to cheer his name and congratulate him on getting rid of such a nuisance. They set the fluffy demon down at the bar. Even Husk had a very subtle grin on his face. He was ordered several rounds of cocktails courtesy of his adoring public. He basked for a little bit longer before whistling for everyone's attention.

"Alright, alright! I can't believe I'm sayin' this but don't order me nothin' else. At this rate I'll be blind drunk enough you wouldn't hafta pay for me"

The little mob chortled at that, but kept listening.

"I ain't losin' out on that cash, you know how it goes. So boys and bad bitches, in the nicest way possible, scram!" Angel sniped in a jovial tone.

The small crowd slowly dispersed, a bit disappointed but mostly giggling at the spider's antics and at the grand removal of such a problematic patron.

Angel was about to turn back to the bar when a hardy "Bravo!" made him pause. Two glowing red eyes were fixated on him, smile somewhat genuine. The deer demon looked delighted. Next to him was Charlie, looking relieved and put out at the same time. She stepped up to him and put on the sternest look of disapproval she could muster, despite also looking very tired.

"Angel! I know you didn't like him very much, but that's no way to treat your fellow demons."

Angel couldn't help but smirk a bit.  
"The key word in that sentence was 'demons'. We're in Hell for a reason, toots, cut me a break."

"You and your breaks. I know your intentions were good, but I'm still docking your reward points for the week." She pouted.

Angel sighed. "Damnit. Alright, alright. Guess I'll fuckin' suffer for my kindness then."

The blonde's brow furrowed. She looked pissed. He yelped when she grabbed him by a strand of fur and pulled him down to whisper to him. He braced for the worst.

"Thank you so much. Please look like I just got you in trouble, but I'm giving you some extra points. I'll have some pixie sticks for you later once you get to me but…" she released him. He flattened the fur back down and pulled a sour face. His healthy pink blush betrayed him. "... for now, you're getting a niiice looong office visit scheduled for you." The princess gave an overly sweet smile, laced with smugness. The spider caught a few patrons giving him a sympathetic look. She gave her "victim" a subtle wink to reassure him, then walked off to parts unknown… probably to her girlfriend. Angel watched her go, slightly shocked by the girl's acceptance of his actions. Looks like she really was Lucifer’s kid.

"Ahem" coughed a filtered voice. Mismatched pink eyes turned to meet matching red ones.

"Uh… hey Al." Angel uttered, smiling and rubbing one arm self-consciously. Did he do something wrong?

"Angel Dust, man of the hour! That was quite the performance you put on back there. I was riveted, start to finish!" Alastor exclaimed, wrapping an arm around the spider.

"Gee, that's high praise comin' from you, Smiles. What's the occasion?" If the deer noticed the way Angel's pleasant blush and patterns flared, or how his fur puffed up a bit, he didn't say anything.

"Well, my fluffy friend, you are not normally the most clever line in the book of witticisms. I'm simply impressed!"

Angel pouted and crossed two sets of arms. He didn't shift away though. He did, however, make his indignation known.

"Hey! You tryna say I'm an idiot?"

"... maybe!" The redhead said with a cheeky grin and smug tone.

Now the taller demon rolled his eyes and stepped away with a sigh. He spoke as he started to stride away.

"Okay, I get it. You're a big scary overlord. You don't need some impulsive slut to be nice for once and stick up for ya. My bad. Seeya around Smiles…"

…………………….

As Angel turned away, he didn't see the look of confused surprise that crossed Alastor's features. The radio host was affronted at first. This whorish arachnid was better fit to be at the end of a newspaper than to speak to him, Alastor the Radio Demon himself, that way!

Once the deer set those arrogant reactions aside like the gentleman he was, he noticed the look of hurt and disdain on Angel's face. Had he done something wrong again? That simply wouldn't do! He had to explain himself, but not there. It was too… public.

Charlie said to keep up appearances that the spider was being reprimanded. That worked in his favor, since no one batted an eye when he grabbed the fluffy spider's retreating hand and tugged them through the shadows to just outside the other's room. Angel was less than pleased, wheezing and leaning on the wall for a moment to catch his breath.

"Al! What… the fuck?! Jus-... just lemme… leave you alone!" Angel sputtered, reaching for the door to his room. Alastor stopped him with one word.

"Why?"

The spider paused and looked at the hoofed demon.

Alastor was obviously trying to avoid looking at his shoes, smile reduced and unsure. His ears were halfway back and his posture was slumped slightly while still having an air of more static tension than usual. He was unsure for the first time in a long while.

The deer saw Angel take this in and go from irritated to confused.

"Why what?"

"Why were you leaving, my friend? We were having a wonderful round of jesting!" He stated, his usual bravado ringing hollow.

"No, you were havin' fun. I was bein' insulted, and ya kinda killed my buzz in more ways than one. If you're done gloating about i-..."

"I was not gloating. Nothing so tacky even crossed my mind." He announced brightly. Then, his voice became quieter and unfiltered. The sincerity in his next words was very much real.

"It was not my intent to chase you off. I was merely befuddled by the... 'rules of the game' as it were."

"What game? You fuckin' with my career or somethin'?" Angel questioned, still miffed but not unaffected.

Alastor cringed internally at the tone. He flicked a hand as if to physically dispel the notion.

"No, Angel. I was under the impression that we were engaging in mutual ribbing." Realization crossed Angel's face as Alastor continued. "You are quite handy with witty rejoinders, however disquietingly lewd many of them may be. I quite enjoy our little back and forths but I seem to have crossed a line. Yes?"

There was a pause as Angel absorbed this information, the deer growing more and more uncomfortable with every second that passed. Ears slowly flattened out more, smile getting smaller and tighter. He opened his mouth to state his intention to leave, when the spider spoke.

"You haven't had a real friend in a while, have you?" He said with no pity, just curiosity.

Alastor stayed silent anyway. That damned him enough, no need to add to it. He resisted the urge to cough awkwardly, thanking his lucky stars and extensive vocal training when he didn’t.

Angel sighed and pinched the space between his eyes in amused exasperation. He smiled and chuckled a bit. A set of hands dragged over the pornstars face, letting his features relax.

"Al… you could just say you want me to lay off with the sexy shit. I was starting to wonder if you were gettin’ really angry or creeped out or somethin’. I like pushing your buttons but I ain’t suicidal and I ain’t that kinda creep.”

“Oh.” Alastor could think of nothing to say to that for a good ten seconds. This was entirely new territory. Finally he managed a few words. “Well, I’m quite pleased that we’ve come to an understanding! I will attempt to avoid being a so-called ‘buzzkill’, and you” the radio host intoned while poking a claw into the pornstar’s chest “will refrain from overly-explicit statements in my presence. Deal?” He finished with a flick of his claw beneath the spider’s chin. Surely that was fair?

Angel just rolled his eyes at the crazy deer who’d managed to catch his attention.

“Alright alright. I just gotta say one thing though…” he stage whispered, motioning Al to tilt his head closer. The Radio Demon was always somewhat skeptical in trusting other demons, especially so near his ears. He didn’t trust anyone near his person in general, honestly. However… he would make an exception for now, since the taller demon had literally just binned someone for him. Thus, he stepped forward and cautiously tilted his head. The spider smelled of confectioner’s sugar, dust, and markers. It was a slightly dizzying combination, but it wasn’t unbearable. Angel leaned down to murmur in his ear.

“This doesn’t mean I’ll give up on you.”

A wicked smile twisted across Alastor’s face. He gave a dark chuckle, speaking in a low tone.

“I’d beg to differ, but that would be ever so boring.”

The redhead then faced his last shocking moment of the day. Angel actually had the stones to give him a peck on the cheek. The smiling demon froze like a deer in the headlights, smile nervous and a faint flush slowly making its way up his neck. His eyes went wide in surprise, ears pricked straight up. The spider just giggled and gave him a coy wave goodbye. Barely audible scratching could be heard from the other side of the door before it was opened, revealing a short and fat pig. He snorted happily at the sight of his owner. The spider took one last look at the still smiling man on his doorstep, before tittering “I think I broke him.” at the clueless piece of pork, and closing his door.

Alastor barely registered himself waving a static goodbye and a cheery “Toodle-oo!”. He was busy sitting down through the shadows and into his room’s red armchair. The plush seat was warm and comfortable, but it was far removed from his racing mind.

What was that? Exactly how many emotions did that conversation just have? What was he to do now? Did he respond? Did he want to respond? He was pretty sure he did. How would he go about that? His life felt as though it were a plot unfolding in front of an audience. Was that alright? Most likely, maybe. Oh bother, this is why these matters hadn’t been his cup of tea for the longest time. Damn this spider and his charming ways! Well… more than they already were damned. A “double-death” as the fluffier demon was fond of calling it.

Post introspection, it took several minutes for Alastor to register his surroundings. Niffty had been in to clean. He still had paperwork to attend to. The smell of the demon flank he had stewing in his kitchenette’s crock pot was delicious. Things were… good. This was okay. He could work with this. The deer demon removed a glove and gently touched the cheek Angel had kissed.

Well that was certainly… something. Yes, quite something. Not an unpleasant something but… you’d think after nearly a century nothing could surprise The Radio Demon anymore but… apparently not. How curiously entertaining.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MY GOD THIS CHAPTER WAS MUCH LONGER THAN I MEANT BUT OKAY SURE WHY NOT


	4. Not Stalking, Just Sweet on You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This thing will be a slow-burn done correctly. Yes, they do get together this soon. Fuck miscommunication for drama, not in my fuckin' fics. :-p

While Alastor would be the first to admit that he was not the best judge of what was and was not strange, this fell comfortably in the strange category. 

It had been several days since Angel had kissed his cheek. He hasn't fully stopped thinking about it since. It's not that the touch was unwelcome, far from it. He simply had no clue how to properly react to it. The southern man was not unfamiliar with airy pecks as a form of greeting or goodbye, but this one was different. The feeling lingered, especially after their conversation. Was this just something Angel did as part of his usual "offers"? A habit perhaps? He'd never paid much attention unless it was aimed at him. Perhaps he needed to pay more attention to the ways of a certain fluffy spider.

Alastor had always learned to do things by observing, even if that observation involved getting his hands bloody. Admittedly, while carnage was one of his favorite parts of exploring the joys of his life and afterlife, this would require a more delicate hand and a keen eye. Luckily, Alastor fancied himself an expert at exploration in those areas.

……………

It would appear that Alastor was not an expert at  _ anything _ in this situation. Skills used for hunting and dissecting prey did not require the same brand of finesse as genuine social interaction.

Oh sure, the experienced hunter noticed plenty of behaviors.

He noticed how Angel would both physically and mentally drape himself over potential clients. The spider molded himself into whatever persona he needed to get what he wanted (usually money or drugs which were swiftly confiscated and rationed). If a demon had spikes? He let himself be poked. If a client had claws? He seemed happy to be scratched. If a client had eyes on every part but their head? Angel would begin- ahem - showing off for the ever so fortunate comer. It was at those points Alastor was happy he could intervene, much to the porn star's chagrin. The authority he wielded helped to tamp down the feeling of discomfort and… something else.

The deer watched how Angel would interact with his friends. He'd playfully insult Cherri Bomb when she came around, which she gladly did right back. The spider would tousle Charlie's hair when she did something particularly nice (or naive). Even Husk seemed to tolerate the porn star now despite Angel's obligatory flirting. The fluffy, white demon would sit and listen to the cat's stories, definitely nursing his drinks slower than he needed to to let the tom drink himself to sleep. If an extra bottle of wine went missing at that point, no one could prove anything (aside from Alastor, but the deer wasn't going to bother. It was too much fun watching the little people scramble to find the culprit). 

Angel gave them all nicknames. "Sugar Tits" or "Biiitch" were for Cherri, Alastor recalled with a grimace. "Cha Cha" for Charlie, "Husky" for Husker, even Niffty and Vaggie got nicknames, "Little Bug" and "Harpy" respectively.  Alastor got nicknames too, ranging from "Al" to "Smiles" to, the deer cringed, "Strawberry" when the spider  _ really _ wanted to tempt fate.

But Angel became different somehow when it came to himself, nicknames aside. Alastor had noticed a marked decrease in lewd offers thrown his way, simply because he expressed displeasure at them. He hadn't even threatened the man, even going so far as to allow him physical contact. The spider interacted with him, unafraid and unimpressed by his status. Despite knowing that Alastor would not "put out" as some say, the arachnid was still keen on suggesting things for them to do together. Nothing untoward, either. In fact, the passing flirts of, "...take me to dinner first", "Damn, a gent who can keep his hands to himself. I wanna see you go dancin' sometime", or even the raciest one in recent memory, "I wonder whatcha look like without the jacket… show me sometime? We'll go shopping after, I promise"; all of them sounded… pleasant. The pornstar hadn't offered these opportunities to anyone else according to his knowledge.

None of it made any sense. It was time to kick up the espionage.

……………

Angel was pretty proud of himself. He had been on his best behavior around the deer in the past few days, and seemed to be paying off! The man’s shoulders didn’t tense as much when he approached. Red ears perked up instead of flicking backward when he joked, raunchy comments being kept to a minimum (though suggestive puns still seemed to amuse the suit clad man as much as any other kind of pun).

The porn star knew how he came off to other people; loud, lewd, stupid, and bitchy and he intended to keep it that way for the viewing public. It made Val more money to have it that way, which meant a little less hell for Angel. It also made the faces of everyone who underestimated him look so much funnier when he showed them they were wrong. 

Then there was the day he met Charlie. She exuded nativity like Angel exuded bimbo energy, and it had the same result. She wasn't as stupid as people thought either. He thought to himself that he'd be fucked sideways before he would ever admit that he respected her tenacity. Oddly enough, once in a blue moon he did get fucked sideways…

Fuck, he was going mushy on these bozos wasn't he? As unsteady as those feelings were, he couldn't say he hated it. Especially those that concerned a certain hotel sponsor. It would have been very easy for Alastor to leave Angel be. Not only that, but the spider was sure he'd given the radio host more than enough reason to be disgusted with him. His profession, his jokes, his clothing, his language, all things he was sure Alastor hated… until he didn't.

Angel couldn't tell someone how it had happened even if Lucifer himself gave him Hell on a platter, but the two had bonded a fair bit over those exact things. Angel knew scraps of conversational Italian, and swapped phrases with Alastor in the shorter man’s odd version of French (though he wouldn't say where he had learned it). Most of Angel's jokes already relied on the same snappy comebacks and impish deliveries that the deer's did, so no wonder that clicked. Damn, even a couple of his less extreme clients and jobs were topics of discussion. Alastor was respectfully curious about his version of showmanship. The porn star had never really had anyone outside the industry ask him about it before. It was nice…

_ Snap, snap! _

"Fuck!" Angel swore, almost spilling his Peach Princess while long claws backed up from his face.

"Fuckin' finally." Husk groused, sitting back atop the stool behind the bar and leaning on the counter. "Can you stop spacing out? I don't want to hear from Niffty about some jackass's drool on the bar." The cat complained, taking a swig of cheap beer. The former mobster sighed and rested his cheek on one hand while another dragged a fingertip through his drink.

"I guess I'm just spacin' out." The taller demon muttered. "Not about you. Don't get your hopes up! Heh…" He teased absently. Husk didn't even roll his eyes. He just looked at the pouting spider, entirely unimpressed. Angel deflated a bit at the reaction, letting his little grin drop.

"Husky, I been thinkin'..." Angel started.

Husk's tired "Oh brother…" didn't contain an order to be quiet so he kept talking.

……………

The cervine was never one to step away from a challenging target. Perhaps that attitude is what got him killed and sent to Hell. Along with the serial murder and cannibalism of course. That curious single-mindedness got him into trouble more often than he would admit. Unbeknownst to the redhead, today would be no different.

A few demons scampered away as he strode through the Hotel's halls. The extra shadows and intensely focused look added to his intimidation factor. The faces of terror and anxious cries of the sparse Hotel residents barely registered with the deer demon. He was too busy mulling over what his next course of action should be concerning Angel. These musings didn't fill his day, but they were very distracting, like an itch he just couldn't scratch. Who was Angel Dust? Who was  _ he _ to Angel Dust? A client? A friend? What?!

Suddenly, his ear twitched and his attention was rocketed right back into the present at the sound of a familiar tenor voice below him. He paused his promenade and attempted to cut his ambient static as much as possible. Angel seemed to be asking rhetorical questions to their resident feline barkeep. Of course! Alastor nearly smacked a hand across his face for not thinking of it sooner. Damn his close-minded, prohibition-following, boredom-addled thinking! In the speakeasies of his living days and as the decades have progressed, whoever ran the bar heard the juiciest stories.

The pink and white demon plaguing his thoughts was often expressive so he would need a visual. Luckily, the balcony banisters were just wide enough for him to kneel, stick his head through the gaps, and peak down at the bar. The deer-like hearing didn't hurt either.  As expected, when he looked Angel was animated, even as he remained slouched over the bar. What struck the smiling killer as odd was the unsure tone of his voice. Angel always said and did things with such gusto. It was jarring to see him like this. He focused on listening in.

"... I don't fuckin' know. How's anyone sposta see past all that?" He heard the spider complain. Past what? Alastor kept listening.

"I don't know if he actually likes any of us, but damn if there ain't some stupid piece of me that wants him to. This ain't like what I got with Cherri. She makes it easy on me. It ain't fuckin' easy not to be a dick down here, y'know?" Angel questioned Husk, who gave a noncommittal grunt. Ah, good old Husker. He never changed. Alastor let himself give a fond huff while he kept listening and watching. He strained further beyond the balcony to hear the spider as the sex worker had now fully rested his head on the counter.

"I just don't want to fuck this up. I actually got a real ass gentleman to gimme the time of day. You think Al's sweet on me, Husky?" Husk rolled his eyes out of Angel's view and went to speak, but his gaze suddenly snapped back up to the ledge Alastor had been peeking over. Red eyes widened at both the statement and being caught. Husk regained his composure and looked away before Alastor could gesture for him to keep quiet. Angel talked on, unaware.

"It feels like it sometimes. Wish he was he-..."

"Uhhh, the fuck?" Husk questioned, looking back up. Angel looked up as well. Alastor broke out in a cold sweat. His internal monologue said just two words about the situation.

"Oh shit."

…………

As he looked up from his place at the bar, Angel had no clue whether to be upset or to laugh. About two stories up, Alastor was struggling to get his head out from between the banisters. It was objectively funny to watch someone so composed lose their shit and most days the spider would be cackling and filming the whole thing to put on Voxtube later.

Two things kept him from doing that. The first was that any camera pointed in Alastor's direction malfunctioned and occasionally exploded. The second was the fact that Alastor may have heard all that, and he was hoping to the God living entire realities away that he hadn't.

Angel took a deep breath in, and let himself chuckle as he let it out. He shook his head in moderate disbelief. Standing smoothly, the pink and white demon strode confidently over to the stairs and climbed the two flights to the panicked Radio Demon. When he got there, Alastor had calmed down a little and was attempting to maneuver his antlers back through the banisters.  Angel snorted and tried to contain the instinctual laugh at seeing such a dignified, well put together demon look so frazzled. He composed himself and stepped towards the pitiable scene, looking over the balcony and speaking above the deer's increased static.

"Sooo uh… you want some help there, Al?" He intoned, falsely casual. Alastor sagged. Angel heard a muffled and ashamed "If you'd please, my dear fellow" from below him. The spider mustered his best unimpressed stare.

"Al."

"Yes, Angel?"

"You can teleport."

Several seconds of silence permeated the air. A red clawed hand that the pornstar swore was shaking rose up and there was a small click as Alastor snapped his fingers. In a flash, he stepped out of a shadow on the wall. Angel stared into wide, red eyes, tapping his foot. Alastor met his gaze for all of five seconds before turning away and gestured grandly as he spoke.

"Well, excuse me but I really must b-...!"

"Cut the shit, Al." Angel commanded, looking genuinely unimpressed now. Alastor froze and his ears pinned back. He did a stiff about-face and gave the spider a pleading look. Angel paid it no mind.

"If you were anyone else, anywhere else, I'd be pretty damn sure you're stalkin' me. I'm givin' you five minutes to change my mind." The pornstar admonished. Alastor gulped.

"Perhaps I could not and say I did?" Alastor said, voice tight.

"Funny, I didn't take you for a coward." Angel countered, disappointment seeping into his tone. That seemed to get through to the deer. He watched the man shrink into himself. His posture broke and his static cut entirely. If Angel didn't know better, he'd say the man looked vulnerable.

"Not stalking, just eavesdropping. I swear." Alastor admitted.

"How much did you hear?" Angel asked, nervous himself now.

"I… I might be." Alastor said in response, looking perplexed.

"You might beeee… what?" Angel looked confused.

……

He knew why he couldn't figure it out. He didn't want to in case he was wrong. It was time to stop being a coward. He was the Radio Demon for Pete's sake! He could do this.

"I might be… sweet on you." He spoke haltingly, the words feeling strange coming out of his mouth.

Angel blinked. And blinked. And his shoulders shook. Alastor's cold, dead heart pounded in his chest. Then he heard it.  The spider was giggling, then laughing, then full on cackling.  Fantastic. Alastors ears pinned back and his smile started to turn bitter.

"Well, if you find it so damned funny I suppose I will take my leave." He grit out, turning to leave. Angel gasped and went to grab him in desperation and shock but stopped himself at the last moment.

"Alastor, wait!" He cried. "Please?" He added quieter. Alastor turned once again and stood there stiffly. He looked mortified and ready to leave. Angel smiled widely, wiping away stray tears from relief and laughter.

"I uh… I'm glad you might be. If you wanna, we can find out for sure." Angel said hopefully.

"What do you propose?" Alastor asked, more awkward now than anything. His hands were respectfully and stiffly behind his back. Angel put on a teasing expression, trying to diffuse the tension.

"Weeeeelll…" he started, moving closer. His arms hung at his sides, visible to the nervous deer. "...normally if you're sweet on a guy…" he continued. Alastor hadn't stepped back and they were fairly close now. "...you get him dinner." Angel finished, standing in the deer demon's personal space and poking him on the nose. Alastor's eyes crossed and he flinched in mild surprise.  His head filled with static for a moment before what the spider just said registered. He blinked once. Twice. Rapid blinking. Then he looked up at the pink and white demon with a small, genuine smile.

"Alright.” He agreed, slowly gaining confidence. “Let's give it a go!" He announced with a flourish. He was still nervous but happy. Happier than he had been in a while actually.

……

Angel had to hold back the squee of excitement. He also suppressed the urge to hug the deer, swing him around, and cover his face in kisses.  A real swell fella was gonna take him to dinner! How the fuck did that happen? The spider preened internally at being interesting enough for Alastor. He was going to blow a gasket, he could almost swear it.

……

Alastor watched Angel's markings flare brightly before dimming. His fur still fluffed itself on end, and the deer saw several aborted movements escape the spider's control. He chuckled fondly and steeled himself for physical contact.

"You can hug me if you'd like." He said with false confidence. Not a second had passed before he was wrapped up in six arms and lifted off the ground. He would deny the quiet meep and the flicking tail later. Right now, the pornstar was whispering into his hair.

"Thank you. Thank you so damn much, Smiles." The fluffier demon breathed happily. Alastor didn't fully understand his feelings, but he accepted the hug regardless. Angel was happy, and this contact wasn't terribly uncomfortable either.

"You are most welcome, my dear." Alastor sighed, pulling away from the hug. Angel let him go at once, for which the deer was grateful. The spider's playful smile was infectious. His voice was tender when he broke the contented yet tenuous silence.

"Aright, aright. I'll leave you be now, Smiles. When you're ready, you know where to find me. Don't keep me waiting too long." He warned, not fully serious. The pornstar blew him a coquettish kiss and left him to his own devices.

Alastor set off for his room. He touched his cheek where the air kiss "landed". That settled it then. 

Alastor had Hell's most fabulous dinner to plan.

No pressure.

**Author's Note:**

> I'll be getting suggestions from the radiodust discord server. We're a lovely bunch of bananas over there. Check it out. ^_^


End file.
